May 10, 2024

IDOT teams up with ISU for marketing campaigns

Swing span for progress

Workers carefully and efficiently removed the last of two overhead sign structures over Harrison Avenue and U.S. 20 in Cherry Valley in late April as part of a $44.2 million project to convert the cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 39 into a diverging diamond design. This interchange, one of several projects in a $247.6 million rebuild of the I-39 corridor, will be completed by the end of 2025.

Click here to learn more about the project.

Region 3, District 4: The new eastbound McClugage Bridge in the Peoria area reached another milestone with the placement of the final steel girder. Approximately 424 girders weighing up to 17.5 tons each were used to construct the Illinois River bridge, which connects Peoria and Tazewell counties.

The $167 million bridge is geared to open up this fall and will have three lanes for traffic and a 14-foot multiuse path with a pedestrian overlook. Click here to learn more.

Region 5, District 8: IDOT officials, staff from St. Clair County Transit and Bi-State Development and several project consultants toured the construction sites of the MetroLink light rail system expansion project in O’Fallon and the Emerson Park MetroLink station in East St. Louis in March.

The $150 million MetroLink light rail system project is a 5.5-mile extension from Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Station to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. The project includes the construction of a passenger station at the airport, a bike trail, and roadway extensions and realignments just off I-64 to Scott Air Force Base. Nearly $100 million from Rebuild Illinois will fund the project, which is expected to open in summer 2026.

The tour included the development of a new 16,000-square-foot transit facility on 15th Street in East St. Louis’ Emerson Park neighborhood. The building will house police, transit operations, and a health and human services pilot program to assist individuals experiencing mental health issues and homelessness. The $9.9 million project is also funded through Rebuild Illinois and will be completed at the end of May.

Letting Update

June 14 is the next letting for statewide construction projects that are scheduled in 2024. Here are some dates to note in advance of the letting.

• May 10 at 10 a.m. Transportation Bulletin release (Official advertisement of projects). 
• May 24 at 4:30 p.m. Prequalification cutoff (Date that contractors must be qualified to bid on contracts).
• June 7 at 4:30 p.m. Joint venture cutoff (three contractor limit. Date for these groups who want to bid can do so).   
• June 11 at 4:30 p.m. Request for authorization to bid cutoff (Final date for contractors who are authorized to bid on contracts). 
• June 14 at noon Letting (Bids can be submitted until 11:59 a.m. on the day. Bids are shut down at noon). 

If you are new to the IDOT bid letting process or need updated information, following are some helpful resources:

• Transportation Bulletin
• EBids
• Letting Schedule
• Electronic Subscription Service
• Prequalification
• Authorization to Bid
• Bid Bonds